The Ambulance.—The ambulance body may be made from a large cooking oil can. Both ends are cut out of the can and the extra tin trimmed away. One side of the can is cut off and a flat piece of tin soldered across the open side of the can to form the floor of the ambulance. A hood to cover the driver’s seat is made from the curved side of the can cut away to form the floor of the body. Two strips of tin may be soldered to the side of the body to form seats or stretchers and two pieces of galvanized wire may be soldered to the seats and to the floor and roof of the body to form handles. The rear step may be made of a piece of folded tin and two pieces of galvanized wire as shown. A realistic touch may be given to the ambulance by making a small curtain of carriage leather and attaching it to the rear of the roof so that it may be rolled up and fastened in place.
The Fire Engine.—The fire engine boiler may be made from a tomato can with several different sized can lids soldered to the bottom to form the smoke hood and a cylinder of tin soldered to the lids to form a chimney. The flaring top of the chimney may be made of the small center lid sometimes found in the ends of round cans. This small lid or sealer may be melted off, the center cut out of it, and then may be soldered to the top of the chimney. The steam gauge and water gauge may be made of the screw tops of cooking oil cans. The water glass may be made of a small piece of galvanized wire and the try cocks of rivets soldered to the boiler. The rivets may be held in place while soldering by a pair of pliers.
The boiler platform may be made of a sardine can. The engine and pump cylinders may be made of adhesive tape boxes or strips of tin rolled into cylindrical form and ends soldered in place. The engine wheel may be made from an evaporated milk can. The air chamber may be made from a nickeled shaving stick box or a brass curtain pole ball. The whistle may be made from a used .22 cartridge case, etc.
CHAPTER XV
Making a Toy Auto Truck (Continued)
THE STARTING CRANK—THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN—MUD GUARDS AND RUNNING BOARDS—LIGHTS, TOOL BOXES, HORNS, ETC.—DRIVERS’ CABS
Various fittings may be added to the truck and these add very much to the general appearance and make the truck very realistic.
The Starting Crank.—A starting crank may be made of a piece of galvanized wire bent into a crank shape and placed in position through holes punched for it in front of the frame and through an extra piece soldered underneath the frame.
Cut a piece of galvanized wire about 5 inches in length. Fairly heavy wire will look better than thin wire when made up into a crank. Mark off 1 inch from one end of the wire and then make another mark 1 inch in from this one. Place the wire in the vise jaws so that the first mark is parallel with the top of the jaws. Use a hammer to bend the wire over at right angles, then move the wire up to the second mark and bend the wire again at right angles so as to produce a crank form as shown in [Fig. 79].